Water detection and measurement system and method

Abstract

A water detection and measurement system for a resource extraction system includes a controller configured to receive first sensor signal(s) indicative of a pressure of a multiphase fluid and second sensor signal(s) indicative of a temperature of the multiphase fluid. Furthermore, the controller is configured to determine a fraction of condensed water within the multiphase fluid based on the pressure and the temperature. The controller is also configured to determine a flow rate of the condensed water based on the fraction of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid and a gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid. In addition, the controller is configured to receive third sensor signal(s) indicative of a fluid parameter of the multiphase fluid, and the controller is configured to determine a flow rate of formation water within the multiphase fluid based on the fluid parameter and the flow rate of the condensed water.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A water detection and measurement system for a resource extraction system, the water detection and measurement system comprising:
 a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive one or more first sensor signals indicative of a pressure of a multiphase fluid; 
 receive one or more second sensor signals indicative of a temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a fraction of condensed water within the multiphase fluid based on the pressure of the multiphase fluid and the temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid based on the fraction of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid and a gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid; 
 receive one or more third sensor signals indicative of a fluid parameter of the multiphase fluid, wherein the fluid parameter comprises a concentration of a hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine an expected total water flow rate based on the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 determine a flow rate of formation water within the multiphase fluid based on the concentration of the hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid, the expected total water flow rate, and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 output one or more output signals indicative of the flow rate of the formation water within the multiphase fluid. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the fluid parameter comprises a water mixture salinity of the multiphase fluid; and 
 the controller is further configured to:
 determine an expected water mixture salinity based on a salinity of the condensed water; 
 determine a salinity difference based on a difference between the water mixture salinity of the multiphase fluid and the expected water mixture salinity; and 
 determine the flow rate of the formation water within the multiphase fluid based on the salinity difference and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a maximum enabled water flow rate based on a flow rate of a hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled formation water flow rate based on the maximum enabled water flow rate and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled water mixture salinity based on the maximum enabled formation water flow rate, a salinity of the formation water within the multiphase fluid, and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled water mixture salinity difference based on a difference between the maximum enabled water mixture salinity and the expected water mixture salinity; and 
 perform an action in response to determining the salinity difference is greater than or equal to a threshold factor multiplied by the maximum enabled water mixture salinity difference. 
 
     
     
       4. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 3 , wherein the action comprises informing an operator of an excessive flow rate of the formation water, terminating operation of the resource extraction system, controlling the flow rate of the hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       5. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the fluid parameter comprises a water liquid ratio of the multiphase fluid; and 
 the controller is further configured to:
 determine a fraction of liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid based on the pressure of the multiphase fluid and the temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a flow rate of the liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid based on the fraction of the liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid and the gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid; 
 determine an expected water liquid ratio based on the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid and the flow rate of the liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a water liquid ratio difference based on a difference between the water liquid ratio of the multiphase fluid and the expected water liquid ratio; and 
 determine the flow rate of the formation water within the multiphase fluid based on the water liquid ratio difference and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a maximum enabled water flow rate based on a flow rate of a hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled formation water flow rate based on the maximum enabled water flow rate and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled water liquid ratio based on the maximum enabled formation water flow rate, the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid, and the flow rate of the liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled water liquid ratio difference based on a difference between the maximum enabled water liquid ratio and the expected water liquid ratio; and 
 perform an action in response to determining the water liquid ratio difference is greater than or equal to a threshold factor multiplied by the maximum enabled water liquid ratio difference. 
 
     
     
       7. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 6 , wherein the action comprises informing an operator of an excessive flow rate of the formation water, terminating operation of the resource extraction system, controlling the flow rate of the hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       8. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the fluid parameter comprises a water fraction of the multiphase fluid; and 
 the controller is further configured to:
 determine the expected total water flow rate based on the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 determine a total water flow rate based on the water fraction; and 
 determine the flow rate of the formation water within the multiphase fluid based on a difference between the total water flow rate and the expected total water flow rate. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a maximum enabled water flow rate based on a flow rate of a hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled formation water flow rate based on the maximum enabled water flow rate and the expected total water flow rate; 
 determine a maximum enabled change in total water flow rate based on the maximum enabled formation water flow rate; and 
 perform an action in response to determining the formation water flow rate is greater than or equal to a threshold factor multiplied by the maximum enabled change in total water flow rate. 
 
     
     
       10. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 9 , wherein the action comprises informing an operator of an excessive formation flow rate, terminating operation of the resource extraction system, controlling the flow rate of the hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       11. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a maximum enabled water flow rate based on a flow rate of a hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled formation water flow rate based on the maximum enabled water flow rate and the expected total water flow rate; 
 determine an expected hydrate inhibitor concentration within the multiphase fluid based on the expected total water flow rate; 
 determine a maximum enabled change in total water flow rate based on the maximum enabled formation water flow rate; 
 determine a maximum enabled change in hydrate inhibitor concentration based on the maximum enabled change in total water flow rate; 
 determine a hydrate inhibitor concentration difference based on a difference between the hydrate inhibitor concentration within the multiphase fluid and the expected concentration of the hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid; and 
 perform an action in response to determining the hydrate inhibitor concentration difference is greater than or equal to a threshold factor multiplied by the maximum enabled change in hydrate inhibitor concentration. 
 
     
     
       12. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 11 , wherein the action comprises informing an operator of an excessive flow rate of the formation water within the multiphase fluid, terminating operation of the resource extraction system, controlling the flow rate of the hydrate inhibitor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       13. The water detection and measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive one or more fourth sensor signals indicative of the gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid. 
     
     
       14. A method for detection and measurement of water within a resource extraction system, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a controller having a memory and a processor, one or more first sensor signals indicative of a pressure of a multiphase fluid; 
 receiving, via the controller, one or more second sensor signals indicative of a temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, a fraction of condensed water within the multiphase fluid based on the pressure of the multiphase fluid and the temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, a flow rate of the condensed water based on the fraction of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid and a gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid; 
 receiving, via the controller, one or more third sensor signals indicative of a fluid parameter of the multiphase fluid, wherein the fluid parameter comprises a concentration of a hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, an expected total water flow rate based on the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 determining, via the controller, a flow rate of formation water within the multiphase fluid based on the concentration of the hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid, the expected total water flow rate, and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 outputting, via the controller, one or more output signals indicative of the flow rate of the formation water. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the fluid parameter comprises a water mixture salinity; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining, via the controller, an expected water mixture salinity based on a salinity of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, a salinity difference based on a difference between the water mixture salinity and the expected water mixture salinity; and 
 determining the flow rate of the formation water based on the salinity difference and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the fluid parameter comprises a water liquid ratio; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining, via the controller, a fraction of liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid based on the pressure of the multiphase fluid and the temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, a flow rate of the liquid hydrocarbon based on the fraction of the liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid and the gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, an expected water liquid ratio based on the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid and the flow rate of the liquid hydrocarbon within the multiphase fluid; 
 determining, via the controller, a water liquid ratio difference based on a difference between the water liquid ratio and the expected water liquid ratio; and 
 wherein determining, via the controller, the flow rate of the formation water based on the water liquid ratio difference and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the fluid parameter comprises a water fraction; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining, via the controller, an expected total water flow rate based on the flow rate of the condensed water; and 
 determining, via the controller, a total water flow rate based on the water fraction; and 
 determining, via the controller, the flow rate of the formation water based on a difference between the total water flow rate and the expected total water flow rate. 
 
 
     
     
       18. One or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to cause a processor of a controller of a resource extraction system to:
 receive, via the controller, one or more first sensor signals indicative of a pressure of a multiphase fluid; 
 receive, via the controller, one or more second sensor signals indicative of a temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determine, via the controller, a fraction of condensed water within the multiphase fluid based on the pressure of the multiphase fluid and the temperature of the multiphase fluid; 
 determine, via the controller, a flow rate of the condensed water based on the fraction of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid and a gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid; 
 receive, via the controller, one or more third sensor signals indicative of a fluid parameter of the multiphase fluid, wherein the fluid parameter comprises a concentration of a hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid; 
 determine, via the controller, an expected total water flow rate based on the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 determine, via the controller, a flow rate of formation water within the multiphase fluid based on the concentration of the hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid, the expected total water flow rate, and the flow rate of the condensed water within the multiphase fluid; and 
 perform, via the controller, an action in response to the flow rate of the formation water exceeding a threshold value, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor of the controller to inform an operator of an excessive flow rate of the formation water within the multiphase fluid, terminate operation of the resource extraction system, control a flow rate of a hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       19. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the controller of the resource extraction system to:
 determine a maximum enabled water flow rate based on the flow rate of the hydrate inhibitor into the multiphase fluid; 
 determine a maximum enabled formation water flow rate based on the maximum enabled water flow rate and the expected total water flow rate; 
 determine an expected hydrate inhibitor concentration within the multiphase fluid based on the expected total water flow rate; 
 determine a maximum enabled change in total water flow rate based on the maximum enabled formation water flow rate; 
 determine a maximum enabled change in hydrate inhibitor concentration based on the maximum enabled change in total water flow rate; 
 determine a hydrate inhibitor concentration difference based on a difference between the hydrate inhibitor concentration within the multiphase fluid and the expected concentration of the hydrate inhibitor within the multiphase fluid; and 
 perform an action in response to determining the hydrate inhibitor concentration difference is greater than or equal to a threshold factor multiplied by the maximum enabled change in hydrate inhibitor concentration. 
 
     
     
       20. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the controller of the resource extraction system to receive one or more fourth sensor signals indicative of the gas flow rate of the multiphase fluid.